Easy Oven-Roasted Potatoes

These delicious and crispy roast potatoes make the perfect side sides. They are easy to make and full of flavor. Their crispy exterior and creamy interiors make these potatoes always a hit and they are sure to become a new favorite!

I’m pretty sure potatoes are the mother of all side dishes. They are readily available, cheap, and can be made in a million different ways. Whether making them mashed, boiled, baked, fried, scalloped, creamed, or turned into french fries or potato wedges, they always seem to be a hit! Not to mention you can basically make a potato taste like anything you want, meaning it can pair perfectly with anything and everything.

And though I love my creamy Instant Pot mashed potatoes, and nothing beats a good crispy fried potato, I have to say roasted potatoes are my absolute favorite way to make and eat potatoes! It is a way I was completely unaware of for most of my life. We roasted plenty of veggies, and roast broccoli was and still is a favorite and go-to side dish around here. And for years my mum had been making sheet pan dinners, a lot of which had potatoes, but for some season or another making roast potatoes never dawned on me. Till one day it did, and man am I glad it did.

In my opinion, there isn’t a better side dish than perfectly roasted potatoes. They are oily, crispy, creamy, and full of flavor, and they melt in your mouth, honestly what more do we need?

But seriously, roast potatoes are the equivalent of hitting a home run. They are easy to make, they practically make themselves, you can season them however they want and there isn’t much they don’t go with. You can serve them roast chicken, beef, pork, or fish, you can add them to soups and stews, or any recipe that calls for potatoes to add more flavor. You can even serve them along with a salad or other veggies as a light lunch or supper. They are also the perfect side dish to make when you aren’t sure what to make or forget you needed to plan a side for dinner!

What is the best potato for roasting?

The short answer to this is Yukon gold potatoes. Though red potatoes, russet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, baby potatoes, and even sweet potatoes are all great for roasting!

But I find Yukon golds to altimetry be the best potatoes for roasting. though I have roasted all of the above options and they are always a hit regardless of what variety of potatoes I am using. But Yukon golds are my favorite for a few different reasons.

Firstly, because they have a thinner more delicate peel, unlike russet or sweet potatoes, and since I like to leave the peel on when roasting. Having a thinner peel is important to me.

Secondly, they just seem to have a richer flavor and texture than other potatoes. Russet and sweet potatoes are earthier, while fingerings and new potatoes are fresher and lighter. Red and gold potatoes, are creamier, slightly denser, and have a more balanced and rich taste to them. But even between red potatoes and Yukon golds, the Yukon golds still come out on top, it might not be by much, but they are still definitely my first choice when buying potatoes to roast.

And finally, I like Yukon golds because they always cook perfectly, they always get crispy on the outside, while still remaining soft and creamy on the inside.

You can use any kind of potato to make the recipe below. But overall I find yellow potatoes give you the best results and all-around the best choice

How to make oven-roasted potatoes

Roasted potatoes can also be made in an air fryer or even a toaster oven.

Ingredients

• Yukon gold potatoes washed and cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces (I usually make 5 pounds of potatoes)
• Oil –I use avocado oil because it is a healthier choice and has a higher smoke point than most oils. But you can use olive oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, or any other oil of your choice.
• Sea Salt
• Freshly Ground Black pepper
• Italian seasoning

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F

On a baking sheet(you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper, but it isn’t really needed for any season besides easy cleanup.) spread out the chopped potatoes, doing your best to keep them in a single layer.

Drizzle your oil of choice over the potatoes, roughly 2-3 tbsp of oil. Seasoning the potatoes with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning.

Using your hands gently toss the potatoes, making sure that they are even coated in oil and seasoning. (you can also mix your potatoes in a large bowl and then transfer them to a baking sheet.)

Place the baking sheet into the hot oven and back for 30-40 min. or until the edge of the potatoes are golden and crispy and the center passes the folk test.

Allow the potatoes to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

notes

You can peel the potatoes in if you like. Though personally, I think roasted potatoes are best with the peel left on.

You can season your potatoes with any of your favorite seasonings! Feel free to play around with the seasoning your use, even Cajun or Ranch seasoning would be great on roast potatoes!

Leftover potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Can Roast Potatoes be ahead of time?

Roast potatoes can easily be made ahead of time, and easily be reheated in the oven or even on the stop top. However, they will not be as crispy once they are reheated. So I wouldn’t recommend making them ahead of time if you are planning on serving them as a side.

If you are planning to use the roast potatoes as part of another dish, such as soup, stew, or curry. Then making the potatoes ahead of time will be just fine.

Can roast potatoes be frozen?

Yes! Roast potatoes can easily be frozen in an air-tight container or freezer bag.

To freeze them, simply allow the potatoes to cool completely then transfer them to a freezer-friendly container. Store them in the freezer for up to 4 months.

When you are ready to use them, take them out of the freezer and them defrost completely, before reheating them in the oven.

I would recommend drizzling some extra oil over the potatoes before reheating them to help make them crispy again. Reheated roast potatoes won’t be as crispy or creamy as fresh roasted potatoes.

But freezing them is great to save any leftovers you might have. Or to help preserve any extra potatoes you have laying around!